amiss 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of amissnext
1
as in defective
having a fault that engine noise indicates that something is clearly amiss

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrong
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation official recognition would not be amiss after that spectacular effort

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

amiss

2 of 2

adverb

ə-ˈmis How to pronounce amiss (audio)
1
as in incorrectly
in a mistaken or inappropriate way I hope that my suggestion that you might be more comfortable in a larger chair was not taken amiss

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awry
off the desired or intended path or course the reenactment of the Wright Brothers' first flight went amiss when the wind died on the makeshift runway and the plane stopped short in a mud puddle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of amiss
Adjective
For decades, nothing seemed amiss about her Northern Trust account. — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026 The district urges residents who see something amiss to report it through the See. — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026
Adverb
The whole incident -- from realizing something was going amiss to hitting the water -- only lasted one or two minutes. — Leah Asmelash, CNN, 21 Aug. 2019 This connectivity can provide a sense of brain organization, and there's a growing body of evidence that this organization goes amiss in those with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. — Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 12 Apr. 2018 See All Example Sentences for amiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amiss
  1. defective
  2. wrong
  3. incorrectly
  4. badly
  5. bad
  6. incorrect
  7. mistakenly
  8. imperfect
Adjective
  • The voluntary recall was initiated after PT Organics Limited’s packaging supplier recalled a production run of defective pouches last week.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
  • Sherrill faulted the software vendor responsible for the defective system, the MVC for taking roughly a year to resolve the problem, and the previous administration for failing to disclose the error once it had been identified publicly.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 23 July 2026
Definition of defective
Adjective
  • There is a difference, however, between the default belief that certain predictions are wrong and the default belief that certain predictions are embarrassing.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026
  • There’s a right way and a wrong way to use digital assets such as bitcoin for diversification, financial advisors and market analysts said.
    — Greg Iacurci,Annie Nova, CNBC, 25 July 2026
Definition of wrong
Adverb
  • Guardrails, if installed incorrectly or poorly maintained, can kill, rather than save, motorists who crash into them.
    — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 22 July 2026
  • Most pre-retirees — 54% — incorrectly expect Medicare will cover all of their health expenses, according to Fidelity research.
    — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 22 July 2026
Definition of incorrectly
Adverb
  • When planning rules protect views rather than families, something has gone badly wrong.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Mohammad Taj, who travelled to Delhi from neighboring Haryana state, and whose face was badly bruised in the Monday crackdown, said the march heading to parliament had been peaceful.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of badly
Adjective
  • The situation is particularly bad in France, which has already recorded more than 300 wildfires this year, compared to an annual average of 93, according to the EFFIS.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • Anderson’s injury record is slightly worse by virtue of a stress fracture in his back that kept him out for four months in the middle of the 2023-24 season, but over the two subsequent campaigns both have been near-constantly available.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • At the World Cup, there were at least six examples of incorrect or — to be generous — highly dubious interventions that made reasonable on-field decisions worse across the 104 matches.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • In September, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services sent a notice denying her coverage, citing incorrect income information and stating she wasn't disabled, according to Kolosova and state documents reviewed by KFF Health News.
    — Rachana Pradhan, NPR, 20 July 2026
Definition of incorrect
Adverb
  • An earlier version of this article mistakenly listed John Thune’s home state as North Dakota.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 24 July 2026
  • Still, there are some animal behaviors that are perhaps easier to explain, such as mistakenly engaging in dusk or dawn routines.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 July 2026
Definition of mistakenly
Adjective
  • Room numbers are handwritten on the doors rather than printed—an intentionally imperfect detail that nods to Berlin’s slightly rough-around-the-edges character.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 July 2026
  • Second, shame tolerance, launching imperfect products early, overcoming discomfort with being seen unfinished.
    — Andy Molinsky, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of imperfect

Browse Nearby Words

a mile a minute
amiss
a mite
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Cite this Entry

“Amiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amiss. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of amiss for Spanish Speakers

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